Tails of a Fox
by KyuRyu
Summary: When a child cries into the night, who is there to hear it? "Don't worry my young kit, I will never leave you…" Rating may change later on. AU. Currently no planned pairings. mentions of abuse. Planned Smart!Independent!Slytherin!Harry NOTE: I'm not as dead as I was, this story will be re-vamped and updated by August, and I will stick to it this time! More detail on my profile.
1. Intro

_Ello all! This is the first mulit-chapter fic I am attempting…bear with me please? I like to procrastinate…so….yeah…..depending on the feedback of this, I HOPE to get 3-5 pages out a week/every other week._

_Anyway, I'm basically gonna try to re-do the first book with my ideas, so pleas no complaining that certain things don't match the book-there will be changes after all._

_I don't require reviews, but I must say they make me all warm and fuzz inside XD_

_UPDATE 4/15/2011 – BETA'D BY evilqueen06, a BIG thanks to her._

_I don't own Harry Potter, the characters or books….but if I ever get a time machine (evil laughter)_

_I DO own Chamomile, the plot changes, and any information on tailed foxes placed in this fic-please, PLEASE inform me if you use them and give me credit (I may just enjoy reading the story you use them in XP)._

XDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXD

The scent of blood filled the air of the otherwise perfectly normal house in the perfectly normal neighborhood. Every few minutes a slight whimper was heard from under the perfectly normal stairs from a small child that was anything but what the owners the house considered normal.

The small child that looked no older than 5 (but was actually in the first month of his seventh year of life) was mature beyond his years-probably the reason he was in the mind to know what death was to the point that he currently wished for it above all else. The child had long ago given up on the dream of some long lost relative appearing on a flying motorcycle and whisking him away to a place where people could become animals, or were bigger than Uncle Vernon (and much nicer).

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Beyond the perfectly manicured back lawn of this house was what most considered a perfectly normal forest-they were normally right, but not tonight. A pointed ear the same color as moonlight swiveled, perceiving noises that its owner knew were farther off than a normal animal would have been able to hear. A delicate nose lifted from forepaws and sniffed the air, picking up blood that was several hundred meters from its current location. The creature stood from its resting place and stretched, much like a cat would, bushy tail twitching in excitement before taking off in a streak of white.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Back at the perfectly normal house the back door slid open and a small figure slipped into the kitchen as another whimper was heard, again raising its delicate nose in the air, whiskers twitching.

Stalking silently to the small door under the stairs the animal looked at the array of locks, which all snapped open with a flick of a fluffy tail. The cupboard door swung open silently and eyes that sparkled like emeralds, glazed slightly with pain, met with the amethyst eyes of a brilliant white fox that gave off a gentle glittery glow. Leaning forward slowly, so as to not scare the emerald one, the fox gently touched the tip of its snout to the child emitting a glow covered the boy as injuries faded. At which point an illusion of the injuries was cast over his small frame, the fox knowing instinctively that it would be needed least the boy be beaten again.

Wide emerald eyes gazed at the creature before him as the tears finally started falling

"Thank you" was but an exhaled breath from the boy, glad the pain was finally gone.

"Young one, why have you been injured so?" a bright voice that didn't quite fit the creature in front of the boy came from everywhere and no where.

"I..." the boy hesitated somewhat "Uncle Vernon was angry that I…cheated on my schoolwork…again."

"Cheated? Your soul is far to gentle to do such a thing, please do not feel you have to mislead me young one-the others of this den lack what it takes to see me, let alone hear me."

Looking away from the fox the child felt guilt for not speaking the full truth the first time.

"I got a better mark on my math test then my cousin Dudley, and Uncle Vernon was angry, saying I must have cheated to beat Dudley's score."

A paw made its way under the chin of the boy making him look into the fox's eyes.

Memories flashed quickly through both minds-the time he "fell" down the stairs, the haircuts Aunt Petunia gave him, Harry hunting, giving up at school work, the scorn of the nurse thinking he was seeking attention-his entire life with the Dursleys.

If a fox could smile sadly, that is how the boy, Harry, would describe the look on its face.

"Harry" as the fox now knew the boy "my name is Chamomile, and if I could I would take you far from this place now that I've finally found you-as it is though I cannot." Harry felt a slight ache in his chest at that, it felt like the time Aunt Petunia told him how his parents died in a car crash and his father was a worthless unemployed drunk.

"I can however stay with you, but..." slight hope fluttered in his chest "it will require you to become my primary bond, and in accepting I must tell you it will be painful." the fox voice was completely serious as she refused to break eye contact.

"Primary bond?"

"Ah, yes-what you see before you now is not my true form-well, it is more like the form I held when I was still young-would you like to know?" a quick jerky nod and he sat up, inviting her to his small cot.

"Very well" she hopped to the lumpy bed resting her head on the small child's lap. "I was born in a land far from here, to a group of tailed foxes. My father was the ruler, but as I am female and the youngest I am aloud to wander as I see fit. My tribe has always bound ourselves to human kind through primary bonds and secondary bonds chosen by the holder of the primary bond. For every tail we hold in what we call our true form, we may be bound to one human, though any off spring of that human receives most benefits of the bond without an actual bond having to take place. Do you understand so far" a quick nod and the fox shifted before continuing.

"The main benefit will be my protection, the other benefits shall come with time such as enhanced senses among other things-as you are still just a kit I will also teach you what you would have learned if you parents where alive." A questioning look appeared on his face but before she answered the unasked question.

"You, young kit, are a wizard" shock now entered Harry's expression his jaw falling open. "I will warn you again, the bonding process is painful, will you accept young kit?"

Harry didn't even have to think before he snapped his jaw shut and started nodding like a bobble head. A flick of her tail and the door closed, the happenings in the cupboard silenced to the outside world, she then reached forward and bit the left hand of the young one in front of her. He gasped, not expecting it, and pain flared through his body as he screamed-thrashing somewhat-as he slowly lost consciousness. Just before the black consumed him completely he heard Chamomile say

"Don't worry my young kit; I will never leave you…"


	2. The Letter

_Not gonna lie, I was a bit surprised by the feed back of the first chapter…. within 10 minutes of putting it up I had 2 reviews and 4 people had it on their story alert .I currently have more than 10 watching. It makes me all warm and tingly-so I decided to get this chapter out faster than originally planned, as the first was really just an intro. Don't get used to this, I may not have much of a life but I still plan the 2-5 chapters a month thing. Any suggestion will be looked over if you want to leave them is a review._

_UPDATE 4/15/2011—Story no beta'd by evilqueen06_

_If I owned Harry Potter, Ginny wouldn't be with Harry…or she might be dead…(no offence to those who like her, but I don't…)_

_For those of you who write HP fanfics, here is a site I found that REALLY helps with pronouncing, defining and spelling the spells/names/words of the Harry Potter universe. http :/ ww w. theblanchards. com /hp/_

_I was asked about pronouncing Chami's name—it's KAM-O-MEEL, like the tea, in this chapter the shortened version is introduced, its KAM-EE_

* * *

Once again we come to the perfectly normal house on the perfectly normal street that housed a boy that was anything but normal. Ten years the boy had resided at this residence, and ten years he has been treated as nothing more than a slave, and for only the most recent years had he found some small relief.

"Get up boy! Now! Up!"

Beautiful emerald eyes fluttered open, the owner quickly standing and heading for the kitchen, fixing breakfast for the people who were supposed to be his family. The boy, Harry, now 10 years old finely looked his age, though still on the smaller side, unlike before he was bonded to Chamomile.

The past three years had done him good, although his relatives still treated him as a slave, forcing him to do most of the chores within the house along with cooking their meals, the boy now had an ally which helped him with various things from bringing in food so he could eat properly, to teaching him about a world his relatives had never even tried to inform him about.

Chamomile, the tailed fox that had bonded with him three years ago, had told about the wonderful magical things that he should've grown up knowing. She told him how the flying motorcycle he dreamed of as a child, though she had never actually seen one, could very well be real. She told him about different magical creatures from werewolves, to vampires, the giants and sprites. She told him about the different magic schools, along with all the different subjects that he would learn when he finally got his letter, most likely from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Boy, Hurry up! My poor Dudleykins is starving! And don't burn anything!"

"Yes aunt Petunia" came the somewhat passive response. He hadn't burned anything since he was six, but she still felt she had to remind him. Cooking was one of the few chores he actually enjoyed around the Dursley residence.

Unseen by the muggles, non-magical folk, a small white fox lay lethargically watching over what was going on from the top of the plain white refrigerator. Although she wished nothing more than to get Harry away from all of this, she knew there was nothing she could do.

"My, don't they just get more pleasant everyday." Chami spoke sarcastically.

Harry just gave a small smile to the fox, knowing there was nothing he could really say without his relatives punishing him for acting "abnormal."

Just as Harry finished cooking and serving his cousin and uncle, a bell sounded, followed by the flop of mail on the doormat, alerting the family that the mail had arrived.

"Boy, get the mail." His uncle spoke distractedly as he read the morning paper.

Walking down the hall without a reply (for he knew his uncle didn't want or need one like his aunt liked, he just expected Harry to do as told) and picking up the mail, Harry discovered that his letter had finally come. He was so excited that he almost forgot what Chami had told him, and had to backtrack to the cupboard before entering the kitchen so he could hide his letter there, giving him the peace of mind of being able to read it later without his relatives interfering.

Handing the rest of the mail to his uncle, Harry retrieved the list of chores that he was to do today along with a burnt piece of toast and a bruised orange. Heading into the backyard, Harry got to work on the small garden his aunt had. He had left the orange and toast on the table just outside the back door, knowing that Chami would have left to get him something more substantial, most likely from the diner a bit over a mile away, he just had to wait for his uncle to leave for work before she actually gave it to him.

He mused that she still hadn't told him where the money for his meals always came from….

As he started weeding his mind drifted to yesterday, when he had spoken to the snake at the zoo. He still had to ask Chami about that, he was pretty sure that it wasn't common to understand snakes, even in the Wizarding world.

The sound of an engine starting in front of the house was heard as Harry made his way to the area of the garden that was blocked from view by the shed, just as a figure came around the other side of the shed with two Styrofoam containers in one hand and cup in the other. As Harry looked up he saw the slight changes as the face changed shape, brown eyes and hair fading to amethyst and moon-lit respectively on a girl looking to be in her late teens.

"And how are the garden sprites today?" The musical voice that Harry could pick out anywhere spoke, a soft smile gracing her features.

"On my side apparently, there are less weeds than normal." With that Harry flopped down, taking the offered box and popping a piece of bacon into his mouth. Sitting with much more grace, Chami followed suit as they began eating.

"Hey, Chami?" the addressed looked toward the emerald eyed boy, raising a delicate eyebrow in question.

"It's not normal for a wizard to talk to snakes, is it?" Chami tilted her head slightly at his question.

"No, it's not, but then you're bound to me so understanding an animal more than a normal human can is to be expected."

"Well, yeah, but they can only send me general feelings and sometimes brief pictures—the snake I spoke to actually spoke back in plain English, almost like it was normal." A slight frown graced his features.

"When was this?" Chami's expression mirrored Harry's.

"Yesterday at the Zoo, I would have told you when we got back but you were off doing…. whatever it is you do every month."

Moving so that she was kneeling, a series of noises came from her mouth and a garden snake appeared from under the shrubs lining the near-by fence.

"Speak to her." Was the slight order, with more of a request tone to it.

Looking at the small dark green snake Harry said a simple greeting.

"A sssspeaker!" Was the reply he received this time.

"Ssspeaker, what do you mean?" Harry was confused as to what the snake was referring to.

"You are a sssspeaker, you ssssspeak the noble language of the sssserpent!" The snake seemed excited to be meeting him, which confused him slightly.

"Ahh, Harry you are a parselmouth. You have the ability to speak to snakes—it is very rare, and often viewed as dark—I suggest that you not mention that particular gift to anyone or use it if front of others." Chami's words broke the monologue the snake had gone into about how lucky he was to meet a speaker.

"How is it possible for me to be a parselmouth? It just sounds like English to me! How can I be speaking another language if it just sounds like English?"

"Magic!" The foxy smile on Chami's face just made Harry glare at her. She sighed before becoming more serious.

"It is a genetic talent passed from one generation to the next, the earliest recorded speaker was Salazar Slytherin himself. Considering that we know that you are Godric's heir, I would assume that when Riddle attacked you as a child he somehow gave you the gift, as he is the last known to hold it—unless the two lines some how, mixed somewhere…I'll look into that."

A scowl appeared on Harry's face as he thought this over for several minutes. Finally he shrugged, his face going neutral as he continued his meal. After finishing their meal, Harry got back to work as Chami disappeared again.

Sounds of the doorbell rang from the house, followed by a quick muffled conversation and a cry of "I'll be back later" could be heard. Good, Dudley was gone now—which ment he would be free to read and respond to his letter as soon as Aunt Petunia left to do the shopping. He didn't have to wait long, just as he was finishing the weeding his aunt yelled out the back door.

"You had better have that list done by the time I get back!" with that the back door slammed followed by the front door (the front door quietly so she didn't call the neighbor's attention).

They never used to leave him alone when he was younger, but Ms. Figg had a broken leg for the past three months, so they had slowly started to "trust" him a bit more as long as he had a list that they thought would take all day, and it was done by the time they got back.

Just then Chami reappeared holding his letter.

"Your chores are done." With that she gave a wink, both heading into the kitchen and sitting at the table, where he tore open his letter and began to read out loud.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

"Well, that's fairly straight forward." Harry wasn't as impressed as he thought he would have been, so he flipped to the supply list.

"Well what did you expect, fireworks? …A giant to deliver your letter personally? The minister of magic himself to come?" Her voice was laced heavily with sarcasm at the idea.

"Well of course not, but its only three lines! I expected a bit more than that, especially for a muggle-raised student! …Hey, Chami? It says I can bring a cat OR owl OR toad—how am I supposed to bring you?" His brows were draw together in concentration. Chami gave a sigh—as much as he had improved, she still sometimes had problems pulling him out of that "I won't try because if I'm better than Dudley I get the crap beat out of me" issue he had.

"Surely you're not putting me on the same level as a common familiar!" She splayed a palm across her chest and did her best to look affronted, causing Harry to roll his eyes.

"No, your highness, I was simply inquiring whether you were planning on staying with the Dursleys this year or if you had a plan."

"Harry, do you forget that I can choose who does and does not see me? Besides, if they somehow find out about me they'll probably fall all over themselves trying to make sure the great boy-who-lived is happy." Now it was Chami's turn to roll her eyes.

"No, I haven't forgotten, it's just rather annoying when I'm the only one who can see you and you start talking to me—doesn't it annoy you that I can't answer?" As Harry said this he stood and started to reply to his letter, figuring he could toss in a question about familiars not on the list as a P.S.

"Well, if all goes properly you shouldn't have to worry about that in a little over a month." Harry hated that I-know-but-won't-tell-you tone she always used with things like this. Finishing up his reply letter, he handed it to her.

"Yes, well as I don't currently have whatever super power you speak of, I do need you to get that to the school as I don't have an owl at the moment, now do I?" A pout appeared on her face at that, and she melded with the shadows, probably to deliver the letter herself—and she companioned about him comparing her to an owl.

As McGonagall walked into her office a single letter appeared upon the pile already on her desk, though she did not notice it's appearance.

Deputy Headmistress McGonagall,

I would be thrilled to attend Hogwarts, but my muggle relatives that have been housing me for the past 10 years never saw it fit to inform me that I was a wizard—leading me to believe that they do not wish me to attend the school. Could you please respond with a solution to my problem?

My thanks,

Harry J. Potter

P.S. Is there a policy on having a familiar that is not a

cat, owl, or toad?

_Woot! About 2X as long as the last one ^_^ Look for the next chapter sometime after 07/07/2010_


	3. Diagon Alley

_Here is the next installment—like OMG shopping! X_x—I will NEVER do that again…_

_Anyway…still without a beta—let me know if you know someone XD_

_This chapter is about double the length of what I'll normally get out since it's 5 days latter than planned (I spent the 5__th__ to the 9__th__ and a RV park "camping", so I had limited computer/internet access.)_

_In case you don't know, Dudley's b-day is in June (the 23__rd__ I think) so this chapter takes place a bit over a month later._

_Yep…that's about it XD._

**XPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXD**

"_Harry…" _Said boy rolled over and tugged the covers closer to his chin, ignoring the musical voice that came from everywhere and nowhere in the small cupboard

"_Harry…" _there it was again, just like a tickle on his senses, almost lulling him back into sleep again, even if it was originally what pulled him from dreamland.

"_Harry!" _the boy sat bolt upright, hair even messier than normal, looking around frantically for his familiar, trying to figure why he had been woken.

"Chami?" He didn't see the small white fox anywhere in the cupboard, and she didn't fit when she was in human form. His answer was a musical giggle that he still couldn't pinpoint the origin from.

"_Happy birthday, my kit."_ Again, the voice seemed to surround him, and come from within him all at once.

"Chami…where are you?" Harry was slowly starting to figure out what was going on, but he wanted confirmation.

"_Focus on me and speak in your mind kit, it's hard for me to hear you when you say it out loud. As for where I am, I'm at the diner getting you breakfast!" _Harry's eyes widened slightly at this—that ment that she was over a mile away.

"_How…?" _was this the year's new bond-gift?

"_Very good kit, it is your fourth bond-gift, now that you're 11 and your magic can handle it. The ability of mind-speak, although it seems I may have to teach you how to keep thoughts separated from conversation." _Another musical giggle was heard.

"_It has its limits, but you can now speak to me around others without being committed to an institute. You will also be able to speak to any other you choose as my secondary bonds, as they will be able to speak to you, and include vague images if you wish." _Harry got the vague impression of the door leading out of the diner, but it was just a simple flash in the back of his mind.

"_Well it's nice to know you come with something anti-crazy, wouldn't want the teachers to think their boy-who-lived was anything but sane. Is there anything else I need to know about this one? You're not leaving anything out like last year?"_ Harry headed to the shower—his relatives had planned a day at the beach today, so he didn't have to worry about them—it was one of the rare days Harry got to sleep in a bit.

"_Hey! It wasn't that bad! What did you expect me to say? 'Close your eyes and plug your nose until your relatives are gone, they smell bad and you now have night vision, which may be a bit harsh until you can control it.' I wasn't expecting you to stay up till midnight that year."_ She was of course referring to his 10th birthday, when Harry's vision had corrected itself, along with enhancing his night vision, hearing and smell.

"_You take all the fun out of everything!… Fine, it will allow you to get basic ideas across to animals and magical creatures by sending images, but you won't be able to actually speak to them or anything. It will be similar to having empathy without having to actually deal with the emotions." _As she finished her explanation she arrived back, placing the food on the table as Harry emerged from the shower in a towel—no rush to dress with the Dursleys gone after all.

Just as they finished eating and Harry headed to his cupboard to dress; the doorbell rang, causing Harry to rush to get dressed.

"It's a witch." Chami spoke from the window by the door, the slight shimmer around her telling Harry that she was no longer visible to anyone she was not bound to.

"How can you tell?" Harry asked as he pulled a shirt on and the bell rang again.

"Her clothing is outdated by at least 20 years." Was the response as Harry pulled the door open to find a stern looking woman dressed in muggle clothing that was, in fact, a bit outdated.

"Mr. Potter?" Harry smiled a bit at how formal she was being. Even with a stern air about her Harry couldn't help but like the woman—after all she was technically the first person from his parent's world that he had met.

"Yes, can I help you Ms…?" He guessed she was probably professor, but he wasn't about to call her that unless she told him to.

"Professor McGonagall," She filled in for him. "Are your…relatives in?" Hmn…hesitation in calling the Dursleys his relatives, she gets bonus points for that!

"I'm afraid not ma'am, they're out to the beach today." _"Now what am I going to say if she asks why I'm not there?" _Harry was internally fighting with himself.

"_Well, either the truth, or that they knew she was coming today and left you here…" _was Chami's reply. Luckily McGonagall just frowned and didn't mention it—though she did look like she was about to give someone a tongue-lashing.

"Very well Mr. Potter, in that case we shall do your shopping before I speak to them, I assume you still have your list?"

"Of course, one moment, let me just grab that." _"I'll be nice and leave a note, wouldn't want them to worry—yeah…RIGHT!" _

"_You know, I think I've corrupted your sense of humor…nope, on second thought I don't think you had one when we first met, this is defiantly better!" _Chami snickered slightly, following Harry out the door as McGonagall led them to an alleyway down the street.

"_There is nothing wrong with my sense of humor!" _Harry intoned as McGonagall explained about side-along apparition, while he nodded to show he understood. They left the alley with a slight 'pop' re-appearing in the back room of what appeared to be a pub—the tight squeezing sensation of apparition was expected, but still a surprise, causing Harry to lose control over his enhanced senses.

"_Chami?" _he addressed his familiar, who had 'warped'—the tailed fox version of apparition, _"I know I've never met her before so why is her scent familiar?" _Harry was confused—how could a scent be familiar when he had never known the person? Yet here he was, standing next to someone whose scent made him relax just a bit.

"_It's possible you knew her before your parents died—although you didn't have enhanced senses then, younger humans can sometimes pic up more on such things than older ones."_ Hmn…so that ment that he could tell if he knew someone as a baby? Interesting…

"Professor, did you know my parents?" it's always a good time to get confirmation on something like that.

McGonagall looked up slightly surprised, not expecting the question as she pulled her wand out and tapped several bricks causing the stone wall to begin to separate.

"Yes, I taught them when they went to Hogwarts—James was one of the best transfiguration students I've had. He and Lily brought you to the school when you were just a babe, before they went into hiding I would swear that you spent more time in the castle than at home." A fond smile appeared on her stern face as she recounted the past.

Harry turned toward the opening of the Diagon Alley, eyes wide with excitement—it looked exactly like Chami had described it. McGonagall was looking intently at him, but he didn't take to notice. As they began to trek down the street to the big white Wizarding bank, McGonagall spoke up again.

"Mr. Potter, you mentioned in your letter that your relatives never told you about being a wizard, yet you don't seem overly surprised about being here for your first time, why is that?" Harry froze inside; his only thought being _"Shit!"_

"Well…in muggle primary school I had a friend with an older sister that was a muggle-born who went to an American School—Salem Witches Academy I think, her parents wanted her to go to an all-girls school—she always told me all these stories before she moved away, everything I know was from her."

"_Now I'm a friend from primary school? Gee, I feel special." _Chami was hopping along lower roofs and awnings in her one-tailed form. Harry mentally rolled his eyes at her before looking back at McGonagall—she seemed to buy his excuse. Looking back he realized they were at the Wizarding bank, a large white building with silver doors that Chami told him was run by Goblins, which was proven true by the two, one on each side of the door. As they entered he saw an inscription over the door.

**Enter, stranger, but take heed**

**Of what awaits the sin of greed,**

**For those who take, but do not earn,**

**Must pay most dearly in their turn.**

**So if you seek beneath our floors**

**A treasure that was never yours,**

**Thief, you have been warned, beware**

**Of finding more than treasure there.**

As they entered the two goblins bowed slightly to them. Harry looked around at the amazing marble hall dotted with wizards and witches speaking to goblins that sat behind high wooden desks. McGonagall turned to him and held out a key.

"This is to the vault your parents left you for schooling—you would do well not to lose it. Come along now." Harry took the key, following McGonagall to an open goblin where she slid an envelope across his desk.

"Mr. Potter would like to make a withdrawal, and the Headmaster has sent me for the item in vault 713." The goblin glanced over the parchment held within the envelope before returning his attention to the two in front of him.

"All is in order here," came a gruff and uncaring voice. "Does Mr. Potter have his key?" Harry produced the key that McGonagall had given to him just a minute before. "Very well. Griphook! Please escort these two to their vaults." Another goblin came over, this one Harry decided had slightly more pointy ears, before leading them to a cart, which they climbed into and took off like a roller coaster. Chami had disappeared sometime after they had entered the bank, but once they arrived at his vault, he pushed the thought aside.

"Key, please." Griphook spoke, taking the offered key and opening the vault. For the first time since actually getting to the alley, Harry was completely taken off-guard—before him stood a huge pile of gold, silver, and bronze.

"Am I really going to need this much for school?" There had to be at least 50,000 galleons there alone, not counting the sickles and knuts.

"This vault holds the equivalent of 100,000 galleons, to be used to pay your tuition at Hogwarts and any other expenses during your school years until you come of age. This vault will then be re-filled to the sum of 100,000 galleons, and you will be given access to the item vault, until the time that you choose to take over as head of the Noble and Ancient House Of Potter, at which point you will be given access to the main Potter Vault." Griphook listed off to the still amazed wizard, who turned to him and listened carefully.

"So I have three vaults, but only access to one?" Harry asked in clarification.

"Technically yes, but not exactly. You have this vault, and the entrance to the main Potter vault is inside the item vault." Griphook further explained.

"Thank you." Harry was grateful for the explanation. "Professor, how much should I take?" McGonagall stepped into the vault just enough to grab a bag that was hanging on the wall by the door and hand it to him.

"If you fill that it should be plenty for your shopping and to last you through the school year." She stepped back and again waited for him beside the cart. Hopping back into the cart and several more twists and turns later they were at vault 713.

"Please wait here Mr. Potter." McGonagall ordered more than requested.

"Professor, you can call me Harry since were not in class yet, if my parents really brought me around Hogwarts so much I'm sure you have the right." Harry had never been fond of being called by his surname, probably because no one bothered to call him by his given name. McGonagall gave him a thoughtful look before giving a stiff nod.

"Right, Harry, I'll return in a moment." With that she walked away, and Chami chose that moment to re-appear.

"_Where have you been?" _Harry asked as she settled on the far side of him away from where Griphook or McGonagall would sit, again with a shimmer of invisibility around her.

"_Just making a withdrawl." _At Harry's incredulous look she giggled. _"Where else would I keep my money? They also do exchanges for muggle pounds up front."_ At this point McGonagall returned from the vault, settling in next to Harry as Griphook re-started the cart, heading back to the surface.

"_Are you going to tell me where you get your money now then?" _She had always refused to do so, now that he knew where she kept it, his curiosity was renewed.

"_Oh, this and that—I have my own clothing line in the Wizarding world among other investments both here and in the muggle world. I had to keep you fed somehow, didn't I?" _Chami giggled again.

"_Why did you refuse to tell me that for so long?" _Harry was somewhat relieved and annoyed that she kept that from him for so long.

"'_Cuz it was fun! Just get your uniforms, I'll worry about your casual clothing to replace those rags the muggles have you wearing." _Just then they reached the main lobby, heading out to the alley and back toward the pub they appeared in.

"May I see your list Mr. Potter?" Harry produced his school list, handing it to her. "We're running a bit behind, so I'll go collect your books from Flourish and Blotts while you get fitted for your school robes at Madam Malkin's." She opened a door leading to the store. He simply nodded and entered, looking around at the displayed robes and materials.

"Hogwarts, dear?" a squat woman dressed in maroon appeared in front of Harry, and he gave her a nod. "Right then, this way—got the lot of them over here, another boy being fitted right now."

In the back of the shop stood a boy with pale, aristocratic features on a footstool, while another witch pinned up long black uniform robes. Harry was led over to stand on the stool next to him where a long robe was slipped over his head and Madam Malkin began to pin it to the right length.

"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow." *my computer doesn't like this but I don't know how to change it. Something about reflexive pronoun use.

Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley. (1)

"I doubt they check the trunks, if you have your parents shrink it you can just un-shrink it once you get to the school." Harry supplied anyway, figuring it was best not to make any enemies before he even got to school.

"I never thought of that, it might work—though I suppose I would have to learn how to shrink and un-shrink things." The boy spoke again in his drawl, a bit more interested now that he discovered the boy to be adequately responsive.

"Do you know what house you'll be in? I suppose that no one can know until they get there, but I'm positive that I'll be in Slytherin, my entire family had been. Can you imagine being in Hufflepuff? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you." The boy was really getting on his nerves.

"I don't know what house I'll be in—not sure what my parents were in either. I don't really care what house I'm in, but I think Hufflepuff could be fun—no one would expect you do break the rules and you could practically get away with murder." It was true; everyone really did overlook the Hufflepuff.

"I never though about it like that…how do you not know what house your parents were in?" His voice changed from thoughtful to incredulous so quickly Harry though he might end up with vocal whiplash.

"They were killed when I was a baby—never knew them." Harry's voice became quieter.

"Oh…but they were our kind, right?" Draco asked, scrunching up his nose like he smelled something awful. Harry frowned, his eyes narrowing into a glare. "What's your surname anyway?"

"I don't think it matters either way, I…" Before he could finish Madam Malkin told him he was done, so he hopped off the stool and headed back out to the street with barely a nod to the other boy.

As he exited the store he saw Professor McGonagall standing just outside. From the robe store they walked down the alley, stopping here and there to get his cauldron, telescope, a nice scale set, and a self-shrinking trunk (which he had to convince McGonagall to let him splurge on). "I'm not going to have help once I'm on the train, and unless it's shrunk I won't be able to lift it—I don't want to have to rely on an upper year feeling sorry for me and deciding to help."

They then went to the Apothecary. Harry gathered the ingredients listed on his list, snatching up a few extra since McGonagall wasn't looking—he figured that potions had to be similar to cooking, so he was really looking forward to it.

"Lets see…all that's left is my wand. Where do I go for that?" Chami had never mentioned the name of a wand store—probably because it was one of the few she had never actually gone to.

"Ollivander's, it's just right there. Come along, it may take a while to find the right match." Harry nodded as he opened the door to a shop with faded gold lettering (Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.) while listening, so that Chami could slip in, then he continued to hold it waiting for the professor to enter.

"If you find your wand match before I return, please wait for me here—I have an errand to run for a friend." Harry just raised a single eyebrow and nodded again, entering the small dusty shop to a sight that was odd even to him.

Chami was standing at full height in her human form wearing a short kimono (Battle kimono, Harry remembered from the first time Chami transformed after bonding to him.) She was still shimmering, showing that her invisibility was still active. She had a look of utter concentration on her face as she looked around the small space.

"Ah Mr. Potter, I'd been wondering when I would see you—but I'm afraid I don't know your friend here." Harry jumped in surprise, not only at the silent and sudden entrance of an old man with wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop, but also that he knew Harry's name and could see Chami.

Glancing over at Chami to make sure the glitter of invisibility was still surrounding her, Harry's eyes met with a sight that Harry had never even imagined he would ever see.

**XPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXD**

_1-pg 60 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_

_sorry if McGonagall is OOC…_

_I want to give special thanks to "Simply Complex Mind"-not only for guessing that I had planned on using McGonagall, but for her very lovely reviews ^_^_

_Originally I planned on this chapter stopping at the sorting—leaving a cliffy right before he was sorted, but it ended up being WAAY longer than planned (my imagination ran away…) so I broke it off at Ollivander's. I hope to have the next chapter by 07/20/10_


	4. Ollivander's Wonderous Wands

_UPDATE 4/15/2011—Now beta'd by evilqueen06_

_I kind of made up Ollivander's first name—let me know if anyone knows what it really is and I'll change it._

_No real announcements this time ^_^_

XDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXP

_**RECAP**_

Glancing over at Chami to make sure the glitter of invisibility was still surrounding her, Harry's eyes met with a sight that Harry had never even imagined he would ever see.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

There in front of him was Chami, down on her left knee with her left fist flat on he ground, her right forearm resting across her raised knee.

"Chami?" Harry was beyond confused—Chami had once told him that the only person who she believed deserved to be bowed to was her Father and that she wouldn't even bow to her elder siblings. This was wrong…wrong in so many ways that it was shaking the world that was Harry's for the past three years. Harry saw Chami glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, before looking back at Ollivander.

"Blessed of ten, I apologize—we were never informed of your location. Had I known your were so close I would have paid proper respect many years ago." Her voice was formal and Harry was shocked that she seemed ready to do anything for the man that stood in front of them.

"Oh dear, this I was not expecting. Now, now stand young lady, no reason for you to treat me any different that you would any other shop owner." Chami stood, her eyes flickering from Harry to Ollivander and around the shop.

"What's going on?" Harry still didn't understand the interaction between Chami and the old man with moon-like eyes.

"This man is the holder of the power of ten—a singular person bound to a ten tailed fox." This just made more questions appear in Harry's mind—Chami always told him that her father, the _Nine-tailed_ fox was the strongest there was.

"But..." Ollivander cut off Harry from his question,

"You are right in that a nine-tailed fox is the strongest, but what you don't understand is what happens once they become too old—for though tailed foxes live very long, they are not immortal." Ok…so does a nine-tailed gain a tenth and weaken? Harry focused on Ollivander hoping he would continue, which he did.

"There are only two nine tailed foxes at any given point—the ruler of the tribe and his mate. Eventually, one mate will die of this or that—old age or a battle gone wrong—and the other will gain a tenth tail. The problem being that not even the tailed fox bodies can withstand that much power, so that animal then has a three-month period to find a human or magical creature to bond with. It's final bond that will allow it to once again see its mate in the next world. There is only ever one person who holds this bond." Ollivander paused, and Harry took the opportunity to ask a question.

"So is the bond like what I have with Chami?" he glanced over to Chami, reaching out to feel the humming bond between them. It was Chami who answered though.

"No, the bond between a ten-tails and a human has the main function of increasing the life-span of the human. Although our bond will increase yours, I doubt you'll ever live to the age that the Blessed Ten is already at." Harry looked over to Ollivander again, he looked no older than his mid-seventies, but if he were to guess based on the conversation, he would say he must be much older.

"I have been alive since the last ruler of the foxes took over many years ago, but no matter, I presume you're here for your wand? May I deduce, Chami, that it will be one that was created from the leader's whiskers?" Ollivander glanced over as he addressed her.

"It should, but I believe there might be a bit of a…complication focused around his scar." Ollivander nodded, understanding her meaning before disappearing into the tall selves filled to the ceiling with boxes.

Moments later he returned with a short stack of about seven boxes in various colors, one of which he set off to the side. Opening a crimson colored box, holding it out to show wand that appeared black Ollivander spoke, "Ebony with a whisker of the fox king for the core, stiff, good for healing." Harry grasped the wand only to have it removed from his hand a second later with a muttered "no, no, that won't do".

Ollivander then held out a wand box that was a pale blue, the wand inside a medium brown-red.

"Mahogany, same core as the last, pliable." Harry once again grasped the wand, this time he was allowed to give a swish (causing a vase full of half-dead flowers to explode) before the wand was again taken from his hand.

Another green box was then produced holding a pale wand that seemed to curve in a slight spiral.

"Willow and a whisker core, wispy and flexible." Harry had barely touched the wand, not even picking it up when a shelf full of wands collapsed onto the floor. Harry quickly pulled his hand back, not wanting something like that to worsen.

This continued on until there were only two boxes left—the deep black one that had been set off to the side earlier and a white one almost the color of Chami's hair. He first held out the white box, inside was a wand that was the palest wood Harry had seen yet.

He grasped the wand and a plethora of colors erupted from the tip ranging from a pale yellow to gold, a deep blue to pale silver. Ollivander nodded his head once before handing the box to Harry to take with him.

Next he held out the onyx box he had put aside before they started, the wand inside a dark brown, almost black (though not as dark as the first ebony wand). Harry glanced over at Chami before grabbing this wand. It didn't react immediately like the last, but with a flick red and gold sparks shot out from the tip.

"Very good—this one is Holly with phoenix feather, the other is Birch with the fox king's whisker." He glanced over at Chami, who nodded, before continuing. "The holly wand has a brother—a wand that holds a core that comes from the same magical creature, that is—only one other." Harry glanced from Ollivander to Chami and back before it dawned on him—after all, no other reason to be so serious.

"Its Voldemort's, isn't it?" The silence that reigned throughout the room was answer enough for Harry.

"Right then, that will be seven gallons for the Holly wand." Harry fished out is coin bag waiting for Ollivander to tell him the price of the Birch wand as well, but it didn't come.

"And the birch wand?" Harry raised a single eyebrow, wondering if Ollivander was going senile to have forgotten about the wand he just gave to Harry.

"No charge—the core of that wand was given to me specifically for someone like you—witches and wizards unbound to a tailed fox will be unable to touch them, let alone use them. That wand belongs to you and only you—though I would suggest using your Holly wand in school—the birch one could very well harm someone unbound to a fox." Harry nodded and fished out the amount asked.

"Give him two holsters too, would you Alder? No one bound to me will carry their wands in their pocket!" Ollivander gave a nod, taking the seven gallons from Harry and some amount Harry couldn't see from Chami for the holsters. Harry slipped the wands into his bag, and just on time too as the bell up front rang and in came McGonagall with a dome-shaped object covered in some type of red material.

"All done then?" Harry nodded. "Come along then, I still need to speak to your relatives." Harry gave Ollivander a smile and nod before following McGonagall out with Chami by his side. They walked in silence and apparated back to the empty alley several blocks from the Dursley's.

"Professor, if you don't mind me asking, what was it you bought?" Harry glanced at the red-covered object with unhidden curiosity. McGonagall lifted one side of the cloth to show a sleeping snowy owl.

"Beautiful." It passed Harry's lips as nothing but a breath.

"Yes, well she's yours." Harry's head shot up to look at the teacher. "Several teachers that knew you as a baby and the grounds keeper wanted to get you a present, and this was what was decided." McGonagall couldn't keep herself from smiling as one appeared on Harry's face before being replaced by a thoughtful look.

"Professor, in my letter I asked about other familiars, something besides a cat, owl, or toad—are they allowed? Not to sound ungrateful or anything, I was just curious." Harry's face shifted back into a soft smile, hoping that the professor didn't think him ungrateful.

"It's not uncommon to see other birds or rodents among the students, though anything else must be approved by the student's head of house and the headmaster. Normally a student can only bring a more rare animal if they are fourth year or above. That line about cat or owl or toad is mainly only put in the letter so first years don't try to bring an entire zoo to the school." Harry nodded with understanding before turning back to where they were walking, his face becoming serious as he caught sight of the car at number 4. He was so not looking forward to this.

XDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXP

_So I realize the whole "Celtic Zodiac" was used for Harry, Ron, and Mione's wands, but I have my reasons for using what I did. To the Druids, the Birch (often referred to as the "Lady of the Woods" due to its grace and beauty) represented renewal, rebirth and inception, since it was the first tree to come into leaf after the Winter Season. The image that represents this also contains a stag, which I thought a bonus ^_^_

_I was trying to pick a wood that fit what happened with Chami and Harry. The core came from Chami's father (obviously) and thought I didn't put it in here he did know that Ollivander was the blessed 10, but Ollivander asked to remain unknown to the tailed tribe._

_Basically, when Chami's father came into power, he discovered Ollivander and gave him a few whiskers for those who would be bound like Harry is—since he was so young, it did affect his magic somewhat, though not overly. If Chami bonds to an adult, it won't affect their magic the same way so they won't have to go out and get a new wand or anything._

_Let me know what you think about what I did with the wands, please?_

_Shorter than normal, but I'll give you an extra one this month—if I had gotten this as far as I wanted to I planned on only one more chapter this month, but since it's only 4 pages I'll give you two by the end of the month._


	5. The Hogwarts Express and Better be in!

_Hello again all! Longest chapter yet for your treat cuz after I post this, **I have to send my computer into get fixed—it's a laptop and there is a problem with the charging port among other things. They said it would be 7-10 business days. I'll work on the next chapter on paper and get it out as soon as I can though.**_

_Someone asked about Chami's tails—she has more than 2 tails, she just tends to be in that form more because of it's size-the more tails she has the larger her form will be, so like…if she was in a one tailed form she would be the size of a normal fox, but in a 4 tails form she would probably be like…the size of a horse or a bit bigger. I won't release how many she actually has for a bit._

_I still have no beta, but as of now I'm content with my writing. _

_I still don't own it or make money from it, trust me, if I did I would have an annual contest for the best fanfic._

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Reaching for the doorknob Harry hesitated slightly before silently opening the door. There were sounds of the television in the living room and a quiet conversation coming from the kitchen that was barely noticeable over the too-loud cartoons.

Walking silently to his cupboard, Harry placed his shrunken trunk (woot for self-shrinking charms!) inside next to his handful of broken toys, closed the door and then headed to the kitchen.

Entering the kitchen with McGonagall behind him, Harry stood waiting to be acknowledged by wither his aunt or uncle. Unfortunately, his uncle spotted him first—though he didn't seem to notice the strict woman standing behind him.

"Boy! Where have you been! None of your chores are done, not a single one!" His uncle lifted he considerable bulk and wobbled over to him, and rose as if to strike when he noticed the woman behind him.

"What has the boy done now? You'll be working off any damages you've done boy, so don't think you've gotten off!" Harry couldn't suppress the flinch as his uncle neared, not that he would with McGonagall behind him—anything to get him away from here for good.

McGonagall tipped her chin up and gave a hard look at Vernon.

"My name is Minerva McGonagall," She started, her Scottish accent making her sound even more harsh than normal. "I'm a professor at Hogwarts, I was placed in charge of Mr. Potter's school shopping for the term." From the point she had said "Hogwarts" Vernon had turned red then people and now he was starting to look like the girl from Willy Wonka that Harry had glimpsed one day on the telly.

"I will not pay for some barmy old codger to teach the boy magic tricks! I will not allow him to go to that ruddy school!" Vernon had once again raised his hand, this time it appeared he was going to grip Harry by his collar, but in a flash McGonagall had her wand out and pointed at his giggling three chins.

"I'm afraid, Mr. Dursley, that you have no choice in the matter—his school things are already taken care of and he _will_ be on the train for the new school year this September the first. If he is not you _will not _like the consequences. Do. I. Make. My. Self. _Clear." _Vernon was silent the entire, and McGonagall seems to take that as an affirmative.

"Good. Harry dear, I'm afraid I'll have to leave you here for now, but rest assured I'll do everything in my power to get you away from…this as soon as I can." It seemed that she just barely kept herself from calling the Dusrley's a derogative name, before turning and heading for the front door.

"Oh and Dursley? I _will _be watching." With that she was gone, his aunt and uncle paler than he had ever seen either of them. Without so much as a second glance, Harry turned and made his way into his cupboard and started reading his potions text like the scene had never happened.

**XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO**

The month passed quickly, though it was somewhat boring for Harry. Vernon stopped forcing him to do meaningless and senseless chores, and moved him into Dudley's second bedroom. Mostly the rest of the family avoided him as much as possible, the threat hanging over their heads constantly.

Because of this change Harry had even more free time than normal, and managed to read through most of his text books, along with two books that McGonagall must have slipped in with them ("Hogwarts: A History" and "Hogwarts: A Complete Guide for the Muggle-born and Raised").

Chami had told him in the past years a good portion of what was found in those two books, but they had still held a lot of information he didn't know.

Before Harry knew it he was leaving the house he had spent almost ten years in behind to enter the world he should have grown up in. Harry knew that he would probably be back next summer, but even that couldn't dim his good mood.

Walking down the street with Chami shimmering away by his side (he had told his uncle that he already had a ride to the station, though the plan was for Chami to just warp them into a empty car on the train) Harry turned into the same alley McGonagall had brought him to and in seconds he was settling into the empty car with a muggle pen and his potions book, taking some notes and jotting down several theories he had.

The sounds outside the train steadily grew louder and louder as Chami decided to pop out and investigate—having never been on the Hogwarts Express before when it was full. Hearing someone slide the door open and knowing it wasn't Chami, Harry pulled his baseball cap lower to make sure it covered his scar.

"Mine if I sit here? Every where else is full…" Harry gave a curt nod while he rolled his eyes behind the rim of the cap—there were still several hundred students mulling around with their parents and boarding, there was no way the rest of the cars were full, the kid must have just picked the first car after entering that had less than three people in it—lazy.

"My name is Ron, Ron Weasley." The boy, who had flaming red hair, smiled across at him obviously expecting his name in return. Harry stared at him for several moments before nodding.

"Harry." And silence again regained as Harry went back to his book. He knew the boy had been expecting his full name, but he wasn't about to give that away just yet—if the kid didn't like him without knowing his last name he could just shove it.

Ron started fidgeting a bit and jumped when the door opened and closed slightly with, what appeared to his eyes, nothing entering. Chami blatantly ignored the other boy to focus on the rat that he had sleeping on his lap, her fox-eyebrows coming together in concentration.

Suddenly, Ron spoke up again, trying to get his attention as he held up the rat.

"This is Scabbers, he used to belong to my brother, though he pretty much useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy, my brother, got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff…I mean, I got Scabbers instead."

Ron started to turn an interesting shade of red, and decided he must have said enough because he turned to the window and once again it was silent as the train jerked the platform slowly faded away.

Some time later a plump lady with a trolley appeared asking if they wanted anything, at which point Ron held up several half-smashed sandwiches and said in a gloomy voice that he was all set and Harry just shook his head when she looked at him—Chami had made sure he had snacks and spoiled him a bit with a goodie stash for the beginning of the year, so most of what was on the cart was also in his truck.

Returning to his reading he was again interrupted, this time by a bushy-haired girl about his age, before he could read a single sentence.

"Has anyone seen a toad?" she had opened the door without even knocking, causing Harry to frown slightly. "A boy named Neville has lost one."

Harry just gave her a simple shake of his head as Ron started what seemed to be a monologue since he had someone willing to talk.

"Is that the Potions text you're reading? I can't wait for classes to start! I fell like I'm going to be behind though, being from a non-magical family and all. Do either of you know any spells yet? OH! Where are my manors, I'm Hermione Granger." Harry gave an internal sigh _"one of THOSE…"_ he mentally spoke to Chami, sending an image of him rolling his eyes, yes school was interesting, but no eleven-year-old should be _that_ excited.

"You probably won't be too far behind, since wizards and witches aren't supposed to do magic outside of school before they come of age, let alone have a wand before they enter school." Harry's voice was quiet, and he didn't raise his eyes from his work.

"I suppose I never thought of it that way…" silence again reigned in the car and after a short time Hermione excused herself, continuing her search for the toad.

Harry decided to put his book away and glancing at Chami in the process—she was curled up, her eyes still glued on Ron. Shifting, Harry looked out the window at the passing scenery.

"_What's wrong Chami?" _She remained silently for a time, and Harry almost thought she wasn't going to answer at all.

"_There is something…OFF…about that creature."_ She finally spoke as he turned back to the window.

"_Who, Ron?" _Harry responded without thinking—a bad idea in the best situation. A glare was sent his way, and Harry got a shot of Chami's quick temper as she started yelling at him within his mind in a way that gave him a headache.

"_No you duface, the RAT. There is something not right with it—he said it was his brothers, find out more about the rat and how long the family has had it—rats should not live long enough to be passed from one human to another…" _Harry grasped his head and started to rub his temples, giving her a slight nod to show that he would.

Now, how to start a conversation…and the door opened again, this time a pudgy boy stuck his head in asking about a toad, Harry assumed it was Neville and the same responses were given but the stuttering boy did not linger. Harry decided this was as good a time as any.

"I wonder how he managed to lose his toad…" Ron jumped a bit when he spoke, obviously not expecting it.

"I supposed it might have hopped out of his pocket—Scabbers did that to Percy in his first year at Hogwarts—scared his some of the girls when he claimed onto the table." Ron started out quiet, but slowly became animated as he went on.

"You said Percy is a prefect now, right? So he's a fifth year?"

"Yep."

"Are all your family wizards?"

"Err…yes, I think so." Ron replied, "I think mom's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him." Harry raised an eyebrow at that, but it went unnoticed by the redhead across from him. "What about you?" Harry glanced out the window.

"My parents were killed when I was a baby, I've lived with my muggle relatives for as long as I can remember—they never even told me about the magical world. I wish I had a brother and parents to teach me about it…" Ron looked a bit uncomfortable, shifting slightly.

"I actually have five older brothers and a younger sister…I'm sure you didn't miss much—like you said to that granger girl, we really don't learn much before school." Harry gave small forced smile to try and put him at ease.

"Scabbers must be really old if he belonged to Percy—how long have you had him?" When uncomfortable, change the subject.

"Oh, well Percy found him in the back garden… about ten years ago, I think…" Just then the train gave a whistle to signal the passengers that they were almost to Hogwarts. Harry silently stood and changed into his robes, Ron following suit. Harry made sure to arrange his hair so it covered his scar as he planed his over-sized muggle clothing away along with his cap.

Sounds of clattering and yelling could be heard as students moved around, in and out of the tiny toilets on the train, changing into school robes. Once he was done Chami started speaking again.

"_I told you that there was something strange about that thing…keep an eye on it if you can, I don't trust it."_

"_I thought rats could only live to be 2 or 3, how can one be 10?"_

"If a rat managed to live to be 4 it would be equivalent of your muggle uncle living as long as the Headmaster of the school your going to—not many muggles manage that, and I doubt that is a normal garden rat—even if it was magical is shouldn't live past 7."

"Magical creatures live longer than muggle?" That was new information to Harry. Chami answered as the train started to slow, pulling into the Hogsmeade station.

"Yes, all creatures have energy—muggles have less than any other creature and their animals are about on level with them. The more energy a being has the longer it lives—which is why wizards tend to live well into their nineties while most muggles only make it to their sixties. More powerful wizards can live well past one-hundred and fifty."

"Why are you just now telling me this?"

"Hm? It doesn't really apply to you now does it?" At Harry's confused look, she elaborated. "Well, your extremely powerful even if you weren't bound to me, I suspect that if you lived a natural life and dies of old age you would be well over the 150 mark. But since you are bound to me, not only will you be harder to kill now, but also with the power you now have you could possibly live longer than the 213-year record set by Merlin himself—Ollivander not withstanding, as no wizard or witch knows his true age."

"Merlin was 213? Wait…if by being bound to you has the possibility of taking me past that how come there aren't more people who have passed that record?" It was a decent thought—after all he wasn't the only person to be bound to a tailed fox.

"Merlin was 213—though his familiar probably added 20-40 years onto his life. And as for why no one has yet to beat that, my kind doesn't normally bind to strong wizards. There is a saying "Absolute power corrupts absolutely". Because of this saying, tailed foxes in general tend to stick to weaker witches and wizards when looking for a bond-mate, increasing their life to that of a normal or slightly above-average witch or wizard."

"Ah...I get it. So why did you bind to me if I have so much power? Won't it corrupt me?" It made sense if he was to go by what Chami was telling him. In Muggle primary school he had heard the "Absolute power" thing.

"You have lived you life with hardships and strife—much the same way as another child I once observed did. You were still kind-hearted and loving while he was bitter and resentful. When I bound with you I knew that if anyone could beat that quote it would be you." Chami then sprung to her feet, shrinking to her one-tailed form, and squeezed out the open portion of the top window just as the train came to a complete stop—probably going to explore a bit, if he were to guess.

Harry gathered his things while thinking over the conversation in his head—could he restrain from being corrupted? Was it possible for him to go through his whole life without wanting something more?

Stepping off the train, he flattened his shaggy mess of hair over his scar, making sure it was completely covered before heading over to a extremely large man bellowing for the first years.

He would resist the corruption—if for no other reason that to make Chami proud.

The large man, now identified as Hagrid, escorted them down a long winding path to a grouping of boats.

"No more'n four to a boat! Everyone in?" Harry ended up in a boat with Ron and the two who had been looking for the toad (it appeared they were successful). "Right then, FORWARD!" The boats gave a sudden jolt as they moved, the riders of his boat unusually silent.

As the trees on the bank finally cleared away Harry got the first glance of the castle, causing his jaw to drop open. It was hands down the most beautiful scenery he had ever seen, with almost every window alight as it loomed overhead. Chami had tried to describe it to him, but that was noting on the original.

"Watch yer 'eads!" Not even Hagrid's deep bellow could ruin this moment as most of the first years stared in a daze at the sight—though they did have the mind to watch as they passed through a tunnel, docking the boats along the shore.

The large man then lead them up a set of stone stairs, banging three times on the door, which swung open to show the stern black-haired woman who had given him his first real glance of the world he should have grown up in.

"The Firs' years, Professor McGonagall." Hagrid spoke louder than he needed to, obviously trying to let the first years know who was in front of them.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take if from here."

She then let them into the entrance hall, which you could fit the entire Dusrley's house in and still have room to hold a party with the leftover space. Moving over the flag stone floors, McGonagall led them past a large set of doors, where a low rumble of hundreds of voices could be heard, to a side room, instructing them to wait there.

Slow murmured conversations picked up around him as they waited, but he paid them no mind until shrieks erupted throughout the room—it appeared that several ghosts had chosen to appear through the walls and were now having conversations with several students.

Professor McGonagall returned several minutes later.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," She started. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall you will be sorted into your houses. The sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like and extended family within Hogwarts. You will have lessons with them, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in the common room of that dormitory.

"The Four Houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while and rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. (1)

"Now come along, the sorting is about to begin, and it will take place in front of the rest of the school."

With that she turned and led them into the hall, where everyone around him again lost control of their jaw mussels while they stared at the bewitched ceiling, the floating candles and sparkling stars drawing their attention. It seemed he was the only one in the group to tear his eyes away to look around at the five long tables around the hall—four filled with students, and one at the front of the hall where the teachers sat.

Harry looked over the teachers quickly, noticing Hagrid was there along with a short man with pointy ears that resembled a goblin, a pleasant looking plump woman, a REALLY old man ("Must be Dumbledore"), a man with a purple turban, and a harsh looking man with greasy hair—among others.

McGonagall sat a four-legged stool silently next to herself and set a raged old hat on top of it. A tear near the brim opened then and the hat began to sing ("Of all things…")

The day has come

It's finally here

A new group to be placed

Their young minds just waiting

The thrilling sights coming

It's my job to look and see

Nothing is hidden in your head

For I'm the Hogwarts sorting Hat

And I'll place you in your house, the end

Put me on your head, I say

And I'll tell you where you'll go

Possibly with Gryffindor

Brave and daring is this group

Where the strong of heart will go

Or maybe to Ravenclaw

They can solve riddles in a snap

Where their minds set them apart

You might belong to Hufflepuff

Where the calm and patient go

Their loyalty never wavers, if you want to know

Perhaps you'll be in Slytherin

Where you'll make your real friends

Cunning, are these students

Whose ambition is their means of end

So put me on! Don't be Afraid!

And don't lie to your hearts

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a thinking cap!

Unrolling a piece of parchment, McGonagall spoke.

"Abbot, Hannah!"

And so the sorting began, making the way down the list after the Abbot girl was placed in Hufflepuff. Susan Bones followed, then a boy went to Ravenclaw and another girl to Hufflepuff, two more students went to Ravenclaw and a girl to Slytherin.

"Granger, Hermione!" Harry glanced out of the corner of his eye at the nervous girl as she sat on the stool, trembling.

"RAVENCLAW!" (2) Harry could have guessed that one. As the sorting continued Harry noticed Chami appear at the side of the table with the dark, greasy man (who stiffened slightly and glanced around, looking for something he wouldn't be able to see, judging by the sparkle around Chami). She curled her two tails around herself as she sat, giving him a nod. Harry let a brief smirk appear on his face, but it fell soon after.

"Potter, Harry!" The entire hall went so silent Harry was sure someone would hear Chami breathing, even through her shroud.

Bracing himself and taking a calming breath, Harry moved forward causing whispers to break out across the hall.

"Did she say _Potter?_"

"Harry Potter!"

"I forgot he was starting school this year!"

"I bet he'll be a Gryffindor! No way would he be in any other house!"

"Can you see the scar?" At that one Harry flattened his hair again.

"Was he on the train?"

"I didn't even hear he was on the train!"

"Maybe they brought him here a different way for his protection or something?"

"Bloody hell! He was sitting with me the entire time and I didn't even know!" That caused Harry to roll his eyes as the hat fell over them.

"_Ah, Mr. Potter. I'd been wondering when I would get to sort you. I congratulate you on your bond-mate, such an honor to be bound to a tailed-fox." _This caused Harry to stiffen some.

"_No worries, Mr. Potter. Everything I see here will remain between you and me—not even the headmaster gets the knowledge I hold on students."_

"_I thank you." _Was all Harry managed to reply, but he was sure the hat knew the grateful feelings coursing through him.

"Now then…where to put you? You have a sharp mind, and bravery, loyalty and cunning—Difficult, very difficult. Do you have a preference? You would do well in any of the four—with the qualities you hold I could even make you an apprentice despite your age…"

"_I would prefer to go through my schooling as normally as possible, so I would rather not be an apprentice, but any house is fine—after all you are the sorting hat, so where you put me should be the best place, right? Everyone loves a good challenge, right?"_

Outside the conversation that was heard by three (Harry, Chami, and the Hat itself)—several teachers and students were becoming fidgety—what was taking so long? It had already been over ten minutes and the hat still hadn't decided…

"_Well, as you possess main qualities of all houses, why don't we go by what you lack? You're horrible at riddles, so that leaves out Ravenclaw—you would be stuck outside the dorms more than a few nights there. Hufflepuff is also out, although you are loyal it is not blindly so, and you don't hold enough patients for that house either. _

"_That leaves Gryffindor and Slytherin…you are cunning and can be sly, but not ambitious, brave and chivalrous, but don't rush into things without thinking (an unfortunate trait of the house). But where to put you…I know! It must be…"_

Silence reigned throughout the hall, as after 20 minutes of almost complete silence the brim of the hat again opened.

"SLYTHERIN!"(3) Silence met this announcement (save for Chami's laughter that only Harry could hear) and Harry hopped off the stool and placed the hat down, moving over to the Slytherin table to wait for the sorting to finish—he was hungry!

**XPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXDXPXD**

_**1-a good portion of these 2 paragraphs is from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's stone pg 90**_

_**2-I always though Mione' was in Gryffindor simply because she met Harry on the train and assumed he would be there—since she didn't know it was "Harry Potter" that she had met, I made her a raven. **_

_**3-Congradulation, I decided not to make it a cliffy. Mainly cuz' of the ramblings of the hat about taking out Ravenclaw (Harry IS bad at riddles in the cannon) and Hufflepuff (yes, we all know it doesn't get ANY regeneration, and I didn't feel like doing a Slytherin-Harry-in-Hufflepuff…though if I finish this one that might be an idea…)**_

A miracle has happened—I've found a job! I'm telling you this because my updates may become further apart since I will now have a life. It shouldn't be too much, I hope for the minimum to be 2 a month, but I will tell you all if it will be less.

_Sorry for how long the note is, I thank you for reading my rambling though. _

_I don't know when the next chapter will be out, as I'll be without a computer for a time…I do have to wait for the shipping label, so I MIGHT get one out before I send it in…._


	6. First Night

_Hey all! Sorry it took so long for me to get back, I had sent my computer in, and they fixed several non-essential issues with it, but when I got it back it was still having charging issues and then it stopped working completely and the battery ran out. So I had to call them AGAIN and they had to send me a new power cord which took an extra 2 weeks .—but we're all good now!_

_I know this chapter is really short, but I wanted to get something out for you—the next one will be normal length._

* * *

The rest or the sorting passed in a blur of names-Harry had basically ignored them except to note who was who (and those sorted into his house). The whispering had continued the entire time and the loud cheering had become more polite clapping-it seemed his sorting was a big conversation point.

Near the end of the sorting, Harry glanced up at Chami again, only to find her sleeping. Glancing over he found the dark, greasy professor glaring at him with fervor—and just as suddenly his scar started to burn causing him to wince slightly—though any other reaction was covered by years of "Practice". Chami was now by him, under the table with her head resting on his lap, which helped somewhat.

"_Are you alright Kit?"_

"Fine, my scar just started to hurt is all…"

"_Your scar? That can't be good…" _Chami shifted slightly

"_I was looking over at the professor you were sitting by—he was glaring at me."_

"_He doesn't seem to like you very much, but there is no killing intent there. I wouldn't worry about him—it's the man he's next to that I would worry about." _Harry frowned, his eyebrows coming together in thought.

"He has been facing away from me the entire time, why would it be him?"

"_I never said that the greasy one wasn't the one to make your scar hurt, I just said you don't have to worry about him killing you. The other one though…he appears to be a bumbling idiot, but he reeks of darkness and annoyance. I am unsure about him…he has an aura about him that he has killed before and enjoyed it far too much…just…watch your back around him."_

Harry was brought back to his meal by the conversation that was taking place around him.

"I knew that I would be in Slytherin" The blond Harry had met in Diagon Alley was bragging "My family has been in it for generations! There is no possible way I could have been sorted anywhere else." Harry snorted at that, causing most of the other first years, which had been listening to whatever the blond had been bragging about, to glance over at him—some with awe some with scorn.

"Something funny Potter?" Draco sneered at him, causing the boy next to him to shift slightly away.

"What house your sorted in doesn't always fall on where your parents or their parents were sorted—just because you have a Slytherin family doesn't mean that you were going to be in this house no matter what." Harry's reply was calm as he continued to eat his dinner.

"Yes Potter, you were supposed to be a perfect little Gryffindork, weren't you? Now what are you aiming for? I doubt you'll last more than a week in Slytherin." Malfoy sneered at Harry, to which he just grinned and went back to his meal. Huffing, Draco returned to his bragging and the rest of the meal was spent in relative silence.

Some time later the headmaster rose and dismissed them, telling the first years to follow the Prefects. As Harry stood and followed a gangly boy with dark hair, he let himself fall to the back of the first years to observe those who he would be living with for the next seven years.

"Kit, the blond one is annoying."

"_Not much I can do about that. Did you manage to find anything out about the school?"_

"_Oh yes! Hogwarts was very welcoming, such a nice castle—it also seems that your dorms are bigger than the other three. From what I could tell it has to do with them being in the dungeons, and that no other house wanted their dorms down here—the others have five or six to a room, but you have two rooms, with three in each room. Your trunk is in with the one that has the scent dark-colored boy, and the other one is the scent of the tallest boy." _So he would be rooming with Zabini and Nott, better that Draco or his two henchmen.

Entering what the first years were told was the common room (_"Password is Venom, don't forget it or you'll be locked out.")_ As the older years headed to their dorms, they were directed to sit around the fire, waiting their head of house—who appeared through the stone wall with a flash from the fireplace.

"A bit dramatic, isn't he? I wonder if he uses a spell to make his robes billow like that." Harry had to resist the urge to laugh out loud, as he didn't want to get on the bad side of someone who had been glaring at him for a large portion of the night.

"If he doesn't use a spell I wonder how long he spent practicing it." Chami did snigger at that, since no one in the room could hear her.

"Slytherin…" The greasy man started in a deep, enthralling voice as his eyes skimmed over the first years, lingering a bit longer on Harry "Is the most misunderstood house. I don't care if you like each other or not, you will stick together—you will keep and arguments you have with housemates within the house.

"The next seven years will be harder for you than the others in your years simply because no one sympathizes with a Slytherin—if something goes wrong we are the first to blame. Not get to bed—I expect every one of you to be up at the breakfast table by no later than 7:30, I will distribute your schedules and you will not be last for class—now head to bed, there are two first year girl dorms and two for the boys—you will find your trunks are already placed and there will be no room-switching."

The first years silently followed his command, the six boys entering the bedroom with his, Nott's, and Zabini's trunks first, the other three grumbling and moving to the room across the hall. The boys changed silently before climbing into bed, the lights fading around them. As Harry snuggled into his blanket he felt Chami jump onto the bed and curl up by his feet, falling into a light sleep to wait for the next day to come.

* * *

_Not sure I like this chapter as much as the others, but I was kinda annoyed at all the delays and wanted to get something out for you all._

_**EDIT 08/27/10: A thanks to "**Sunset on Heartache**" for pointing out that I forgot Theo *tear* I can't believe I forgot my favorite cannon Slytherin. **_


	7. Classes and Detention

_Sorry for the wait—I know I'm horrible. I'm going to remove this chap as it's own story, for some reason when I tried to post it it wouldn't let me post ANY HP related anything...  
_

_Tried to post this yesterday, but fanfiction decided to snub me. _

_I'm thinking about making this a "Snape-mentors Harry fic" as every HP writer needs one, but am unsure, thought?_

_Anyway—I based the time table of classes off of research that I did, and I'm going by the dates in the book as to when classes start each year and such. So that means for first year, since it would be 1991, they would arrive at the school on a Sunday and start classes on Monday. If you want to see the time table I made I can e-mail it to you, just leave a review or pm me requesting it with your e-mail. I had some troubles making it up, so it won't match exactly, but as it is a fan fiction, I figure it doesn't matter much._

* * *

Harry awoke the next morning before his roommates thanks to Chami's nudging. He was able to get showered and dressed before his room mates even started to stir, at which point he decided to go to the great hall in hopes of not angering his head of house more than just existing seemed to do.

When he finally reached the hall, it was dotted with several students along with a handful of teachers. The glare of the greasy man, now known as Snape, once again locked on him as he moved to sit near the front of the table, where he preceded to ignore it as he pulled out his Charms book and began reading. After only several moments of this Harry felt the glare shift from himself, though he could guess that it didn't decrease at all.

His year mates filed in around him, most still appearing half asleep as it was only half past seven. Draco was the only one that appeared completely alert—he was also the last to arrive though, coming in less than a minute before Snape had told them to arrive.

"_Probably making sure every hair was in place."_ Chami intoned from her spot under the table. Harry bowed his head and took a sip of his drink, to hide the slight smirk that appeared on his face at that.

As the other houses filed into the hall (Slytherin having been there a good fifteen minutes before most others), breakfast appeared much the same way that dinner had the night before. Harry decided it was best to use manners (that Chami had forced him to learn), so he put his book off to the side as he began to eat, ignoring the growing whispers and eyes that fell upon him.

As breakfast passed silently (with Harry slipping several things to Chami throughout the meal), Harry took the chance to glance around and take in the different houses. His house was, for the most part, silently eating with grace and poise—some sitting straight-backed and "proper" while others were slightly more relaxed. Although there were several in his house that appeared to be staring at him, a quick glance around the hall showed that it was less than any of the other houses.

Ravenclaw, the house that had only slightly more students staring at him, held a large number of students slumped over books and taking notes—though he doubted any of it was summer homework that was not yet complete.

The students at Hufflepuff were looking at him with fear or clouded curiosity while trying to avoid being seen staring or making eye contact—the group in general seemed to be the most cheerful this morning.

And finally the Gryffindor had at least half, if not more, of the students in their house openly staring at him with confusion, contempt, or outright hate. He noted that the redhead he had shared a compartment with was stuffing his face with no manners at all—something that he was glad to note only a handful of students at the school did. The Griffins were definitely the loudest group in the hall, save the ones that seemed to be rushing to do work—Harry could bet that these students were trying to finish the homework that was due in the next few days.

At slightly past 8 o'clock the owl post arrived, Hedwig soaring in with his subscription to the _Daily Profit_ (that he had purchased while doing his school shopping, scheduling it to start today) clutched in her talons. She dropped the paper in front of him before circling around and landing on his shoulder, where he passed her a piece of bacon and opened the _Profit_ to the front page, quickly glancing over several of the articles, including the one on the front page about a break-in a Gringotts.

Handing Hedwig another piece of bacon and giving her a quick pat on the head before she took off, Harry stashed his newspaper in his satchel, going back to his charms book as he waited for his head of house to pass out the time tables—his of course accompanied by a sneer that was extra hateful.

His first glance almost made him groan out loud…_almost._

"_What's wrong kit?"_ Chami questioned from her place under the table, resting her head upon his lap.

"_Potions first thing tomorrow, and DOUBLE potions first thing Friday…I swear the universe is out to get me…"_

"_Oh come now, just because the greasy man's face seems to get more sour around you doesn't mean his class will be horrible—you said you were looking forward to potions above all other classes. Just because the teacher seems to have some issues doesn't mean you should toss the class away as horrible. Besides, you said yourself, it's not till tomorrow, so you have a whole day to prepare."_ Harry started petting her ears as she tried to reassure him that everything would be fine—at least until the final sentence that was followed by a slightly disturbing chuckle.

"_Chami…" _Harry wined mentally.

"_Fine, fine. But still, that isn't until tomorrow, what do you have today?"_

"_I start with double Transfig, then I'm free until lunch, and then I have DADA and Herbology."_

"_See, today will be overly relaxing, the most you have to deal with is the nasty smell coming off the turban man." _Harry nodded mentally as he put his book back into his bag, heading off to find his first class, Chami walking in front of him as she had already explored the school.

Harry arrived early enough to be the first let into the class as McGonagall showed up, so he was also the only one to see her shift into the form of a tabby cat with marking around the eyes that looked like glasses, a smirk worthy of a Slytherin upon her face. Slowly, half-asleep students filed into the room taking seats where they pleased. Chami made a noise in her throat and Harry frowned slightly as he noticed that the Slytherins and Griffins were sitting on opposite sides of the room, none mixing together.

"_Just yesterday some of them were talking like they were going to be best friends, and now all of a sudden they all act like they hate each other—simply because of where a hat said they were going to sleep!" _Chami huffed and curled into a ball out of the way.

"_Most of them have parents in the same house as they were sorted into, those who didn't either have parents that don't care or are muggle-borns just following the lead of the other classmates. Human's are creatures of habit, and no matter how the pureblood want to deny it both wizards and muggles are human."_ Harry turned an ear to hear two people running into the classroom—after the bell had rung—exclaiming about how lucky they were the old prune wasn't there yet. Bad idea…

McGonagall leapt from her desk changing back to her normal form mid-air, reprimanding the two boys for their tardiness. Chami burst into laughter at the scene they made.

"_Well, if anything can be said about this school, there won't be a dull moment here, right Harry?" _Harry remained silent, but both knew he agreed.

* * *

The first day of classes had been overall uninformative. McGonagall had already assigned a 10 inch paper due by the next class, which wasn't until Thursday, on the basics of what Transfiguration was.

"_McGonagall seems strict, but I think she'll be an excellent teacher."_ Chami told Harry on the way to the Library, planning on working on the essay before lunch.

DADA was barely tolerable with the professor stuttering though the entire class period, only to attempt to stutter out an assignment at the end of class but fail miserably as the students left before he could get the first two words out. Harry stuck around just long enough for Quirrell to inform him the assignment was the same as McGongall's , only covering DADA instead, and he also said it would be worth extra credit to himself and the bushy-haired Raven that had stayed behind along with him.

"_Quarrel is made of FAIL." _Harry eloquently put as they made their was outside to the green houses.

Herbology was the last class of the day, and more entertaining that he thought it would be, bad memories of his aunt's prized roses aside. The rather bubbly professor was the only one not to try to assign any homework to the students. Chami had stayed outside of the green house, since when she first entered a whiff of the different plants within had sent her into a sneezing fit.

Dinner was a smaller affair that night that the night before—as to be expected—and Harry left early to get a head start on his paper for Quarrel's class and a good night's sleep, something he would desperately need with the potions class in the morning and the glare that still seemed to follow him from the great hall.

* * *

Snape started the class by taking the roll call, pausing at Harry's name, seeming to want to taunt him, but continued on like nothing had happened, the scowl on his face becoming even deeper.

"_Odd…I though for sure that he was going to say something belittling to you…" _Chami tilted her head, her ears perking up as she took a long look at Snape.

"_Haven't you heard? He favors his Snakes, if he were to single me out for something, he would be going against his own house—no matter how much or why he hates me, the most he can do is just pretend I don't exist."_

"_Fitting…."_

Snape finished taking roll, his deep black eyes snapping up at the class with a fire within that could only be described as intense.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word- like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." (1)

His speech was followed by silence. Harry glanced at Chami, who quirked her fox-eyebrow at him, before curling up by his feet.

Snape again glanced at Harry, seemingly to single him out, but instead crossed his arms and clenched his fists.

"Weasley! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" The red-head looked wide eyed at Snape stuttering out that he didn't know. Snape scoffed before turning from Harry to glance around the room.

"Did you even open a book before class Weasley? Longbottom! Where would you find a bezoar?" Longbottom had the same reaction as Weasley, only with more stuttering.

"Did any of you dunderheads even bother to open a book before walking through my door? 20 points from Gryffindor for lack of preparation!" Snape turned back to Harry, a slightly evil smirk on his face.

"Potter," this came out more mockingly than the other two names had. "What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" at this question, Harry caught the Weasley smirking and whispering to the boy next to him, if his ears caught right something about it being time that Snape picked on a Snake.

"That's a trick question sir." Harry started, some laughter coming from the Gryffindor side of the room, assuming he didn't know. Snape though, just quirked a single eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

"They're the same plant, also know as aconite. Aconite, or Aconitum can be known as monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, women's bane, Devil's helmet or blue rocket, is a genus of flowering plant belonging to the buttercup family. There are over 250 species of Aconitum."

"It seems that at least someone read their text before class…20 points to Slytherin. Can you answer the first two as well Potter?" Harry couldn't quite tell what the tone in Snape's voice was, he was just happy that he was no longer being glared at.

"A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat, used to cure most poisons, but I can't say I remember reading about a potion with asphodel and wormwood…but asphodel is used in some strong sleeping potions, and wormwood is a strong pain-killer…" Snape nodded slightly.

"By combining the two specific forms it becomes a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of the Living Dead. Well?" Snape yelled the last word and the entire class, that had gone silent as Harry's answer, snapped their eyes from him to Snape "Why aren't you writing this down!"

* * *

The days and the weeks passed without many changes. Flying lessons started on Fridays, and Harry found he was a natural on a broom—though Malfoy got detention for flying while the teacher was gone, and she gave himself detention for "Stealing" Longbottom's remembrall.

Detention was served in the forest with Hagrid, where they were assigned to look for what was killing the unicorns in and drinking their blood—as soon as they entered the forest Hagrid had them split up, taking a nervous looking Longbottom with himself while Malfoy was assigned to work with him—demanding to take Fang as well.

"_How are you putting up with his ranting? Servant work, honestly—the boy must be spoiled beyond saving at this point!" _Chami trotted along with her ears flattened to her head, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

"_Well, I honestly tuned him out a while ago, haven't heard anything since the 'telling daddy' comment." _Chami snorted at that, prancing slightly ahead as fang moved from Malfoy's left side to his right, between the two of them where Chami had been standing.

Quite suddenly, fang stopped dead and wined crouching lower to the ground. Harry glanced at the dog while Malfoy raised the lantern higher in an attempt to see further. A ways ahead of them was a dark wispy figure crouched over a unicorn, drinking from the poor creature's neck.

Harry, Malfoy, and Fang stood transfixed.

"AAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Malfoy let out a terrible girlish scream and bolted - so did Fang. The hooded figure raised its head and looked right at Harry - unicorn blood was dribbling down its front. It got to its feet and came swiftly toward Harry - he couldn't move for fear.

Then a pain like he'd never felt before pierced his head; it was as though his scar were on fire. Half blinded, he staggered backward. He heard hooves behind him, galloping, and something jumped clean over Harry, charging at the figure , while Chami growled protectively in front of him, having transformed into her three-tailed form.

The pain in Harry's head was so bad he fell to his knees. It took a minute or two to pass. When he looked up, the figure had gone, though Chami was kneeling by him in her human form rubbing small circles on his back. A slight distance away stood a young centaur, he had white-blond hair and a palomino body.

"Are you all right?" said the centaur, pulling Harry to his feet.

"Yes - thank you - what was that?"

The centaur didn't answer. He had astonishingly blue eyes, like pale sapphires. He looked carefully at Harry, his eyes lingering on the scar that stood out, livid, on Harry's forehead.

"You are the Potter boy,"(2) he said before glancing over at Chami and giving a slight nod. "I was unaware that one of your kind resided so close to our lands. If you would be inclined to do so I believe that the heard would enjoy learning from you."

Harry glanced over at Chami, surprised that she was no longer cloaking her presence.

"I may take you up on that offer, but I am still young in years, and not overly gifted in reading the stars." Chami smiled at the Centaur.

"Sometimes the young hold more wisdom that the oldest of the clan, and just meeting you could be a most enthusing experience for the young ones." He again turned his gaze to Harry "Come, can you ride child? The forest is not safe without Hagrid near, especially for you."

"My name is Firenze," he added, as he lowered himself on to his front legs so that Harry could clamber onto his back.

There was suddenly a sound of more galloping from the other side of the clearing. Two more Centaurs came bursting through the trees, their flanks heaving and sweaty.

"Firenze!" One thundered. "What are you doing? You have a human on your back! Have you no shame? Are you a common mule?"

"Bane, do you realize who this is?" said Firenze. "This is the Potter boy. The quicker he leaves this forest, the better."

"What have you been telling him?" growled Bane. "Remember, Firenze, we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens. Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets?"

The other pawed the ground nervously. "I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best," he said in his gloomy voice.

Chami walked closer to the newly identified Firenze, gaining the attention of the other two Centaurs, who shifted and eyed her warily.

"Firenze is the name of my chosen's protector? In that case I owe you a debt, my friend. Firenze of the sky, I bestow upon you my mark, let all know that a debt is owed from me to you." Chami stood as tall as she could, as Firenze leaned down slightly, seemingly knowing what to do. Chami placed a kiss upon his cheek, just below the outside corner of his eye. The wind picked up slightly and Harry watched as, when he turned to glance at the others, a swirling mark formed in that location.

"A tailed fox?" The yet unnamed Centaur exclaimed, glancing to the sky, eyes searching quickly.

"Yes Rowan, she has chosen the child as her primary bond it seems. " Firenze said. Rowan looked at Harry, seeming to search his soul before turning and leaving, Bane doing the same with a deep frown upon his face. Once they were out of sight Firenze addressed Chami.

"You needn't give me such mark, although it was I that made the creature flee, you could have well done the same." Chami nodded to this before answering.

"Be that as it may, it was you who caused him to flee, and as such you should be rewarded. If I get to make someone annoyed by it it's a bonus for me." Chami ended with a big foxy grin, before morphing back into her fox form and taking off toward the castle with Firenze hot on her heals.

"_Chami?"_ Harry intoned through their shared link.

"_Yes Kit?"_

"_What does the mark do? Is it a secondary bond?"_ Harry was slightly confused, he though he chose all the secondary bonds.

"_No kit, it is simply a debt I now owe him, he protected you and as such I have essentially promised him a favor of equal or greater value. Similar to a wizards debt, but I choose who I give them to, magic doesn't."_ And they were silent for the rest of the ride, just the rushing of wind, sounds of the forest, and their own thoughts.

* * *

_1- Harry Potter and tSS pg 109_

_2-I honestly didn't know what to do for the most part in the forest scene, so I just went from the book mostly._

_I do plan on finishing book one (and maybe starting book two) by the first anniversary of this fic. _

_Again, reviews are not needed, but they still make me feel all squishy inside._


	8. Erised stra ehru oy

_Yeah, I got the timeline a bit mixed up, but it's my fic and I can do that lol._

_A big thanks to my new BETA, evilqueen06. She also went back to the previous chapters, which I will be updating in the near future. _

_I think this is my longest chapter yet...  
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"_Looks like you were right Chami," _Harry said as he hid in a small alcove in a side hallway in the dungeons. _"Does he honestly think that no one will realize that he has a troll affinity? Who would believe that a full grown mountain troll got into Hogwarts by itself?"_

"_I told you he smelled of death. In my experience the people that do tend to underestimate their opponents. I suppose it's normally because they killed too many and it's gotten in their head that no one can beat them. Though, why he wouldn't realize that people around him aren't THAT stupid is beyond me. "_ Chami intoned from beside him, her shimmering human form glancing up and down the hallway, _"Why are we down here again? I get the rush of rule breaking, but even you can't be stupid enough to try and face a mountain troll alone—even if I am here."_

Harry glared at Chami before jogging down the hallway and to another alcove across from a girl's bathroom, Chami following slowly behind.

"_I know that, didn't you hear that loud griffin earlier? That bushy raven from the train is holed up crying down here for some unknown reason."_ Just then the troll in question turned toward them, causing Harry to hide deeper in the shadows of the alcove. They watched as the troll walked into the bathroom and a scream was heard, causing Harry to fly across the hall.

"Just my luck!"

Inside the bathroom the sinks were smashed, causing water to spray everywhere. Chami and Harry just caught the sight of Hermione crawling into the stalls as the troll raised his club to smash them.

"_Chami! You have to make sure she doesn't see me!" _And with that he ran at the troll and jumped onto its back while Chami caused a bright flash in the general area of the Raven before turning back to the sight of her bond-mate being held up-side down with the troll swinging its club at him repeatedly.

"_A little help here?" _Harry asked as he again bent at the waist to avoid the club.

"_I'm thinking maybe I should leave you like that, it would serve you right for rushing in here without a plan."_

"_Chami!"_

"_Fine!" _Chami puffed and rolled her eyes before causing the club to levitate into the air straight out of the troll's hand. The dumb beast preceded to look and his hand the all around like he might have dropped the thing. As soon as he looked up Chami stopped the levitation spell, knocking the beast with its own weapon…several times over. To say that the troll was unconscious was an understatement. 'Oh no' Harry thought to himself 'Chami's annoyed…'

"_We have to get out of her before fluffy over there sees me….or the teachers…" _But it was too late, as foot steps and rushed voices could be heard coming quickly down the hallway. A panicked look crossed Harry's face as he looked for another way out besides the door.

"_Come" _Was all Chami said, leading him to the furthest corner with a long-suffered sigh. She then pushed him into the corner in a crouching position and proceeded to kneel in front of him and cover his entire body with her own, holding him extremely close. Even as her shimmering aura spread to him, telling him what she was doing, a blush spread across his face which was pressed into her chest.

A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on the floor, clutching his heart. Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking around the room (1) for some source of what had happened, when she spotted the raven clutching her eyes and hiding among some rubble where the stalls used to stand.

"Ms. Granger! What is the meaning of this?" Harry had never seen the strict transfiguration professor so angry before.

"I…*hic*…I *hic*" Was all the girl managed to get out before she glanced from the teacher to the troll and broke out sobbing.

"I think," said Dumbledore, who had just appeared out of seemingly no where, "that the girl may need a calming draft while Poppy looks over her before we will get any answer out of her about what events took place." With that the Headmaster gracefully moved around the troll and scooped Granger up, with surprising strength for someone his age, and left with just a word to the other three to "Please clean up a bit."

"_Harry," _Chami got his attention away from the other teachers and onto herself _"Do you see the bite mark on the dark one's leg? It smells of dog, but look at the size of it? And there is some mal-intent aimed at him from garlic boy over there…"_

"_What does it mean?" _Harry wondered why she was pointing this out to him at this time.

"_I'm not sure just yet, but I intend to find out, and you will be helping me."_

It seemed like hours before there was a window of opportunity in which Chami managed to sneak them out past the three teachers, but they were able to and were back in the dorms, tucked into Harry's bed before Snape returned for a bed check.

"_What will the Granger girl remember?" _Harry hoped she hadn't seen himself or Chami in the midst of everything—that would be bad.

"_Everything she could hear or sense, but she was blinded at the time. As far as she knows the troll hit one of the wall sconces and some oil hit here eyes, causing her to be unable to open them—she probably just heard the club flying through the air and hitting nothing for a time, followed by it hitting something several times and the troll falling. She might think that the troll was blinded as well, and hopefully the teachers will believe that the troll hurt itself."_

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By the next morning the school was abuzz with the rumors of what had happened—though most were over exaggerated and incorrect. It seemed that the central point of the rumors were that a first-year student was in the bathroom that the troll destroyed, but from there everything went in different directions from the student dying to defeating the troll single-handedly.

Classes passed with all houses losing many points. Harry didn't see Chami from after breakfast until classes ended, which was unusual for her. As he was working on homework in his dorm, she crawled into bed next to him and fell asleep.

The rumors continued for a time, but faded well before the Yule holidays came. It was seemingly a shock that a Slytherin would be staying at school over the holidays, Harry having no interest in returning to the Durselys. The only students staying over the holidays were himself, one raven, a puff, and a rather large group of red-headed griffins.

"So your keepers really can't stand you, can they Potter?" Malfoy sneered as he watched Harry write his name on the holiday list.

"It's more that I can't stand them, really the worst kind they are." Harry wouldn't give much away, let them all think that he just though himself better that the Dursely's, not that he was abused most of his life.

Malfoy crossed his arms and pouted about not getting a rise out of him, though you would think that he would have given up by now.

Nott glanced over at him, before looking back at his plate.

"You know it's almost unheard of for a Slytherin to stay over the Hols, I'd invite you to my place but my father…" Nott trailed off, though he had only been speaking loud enough for Harry and Blaise to hear.

"Why not come to my place Potter? My parents still don't believe that you're my roommate, so it'll give me a chance to show them! You can come too Nott, if you like!" Blaise was good at getting away from the topic of Theo's father, as it was overly obvious that something was going on there similar to Harry's past with the Dursely's.

"Thanks for the offer mate, but I think I'll stick to staying here for this year." He had a feeling that Chami had something planned.

"Alright if you're sure….But you better come next year!"

The rest of the meal passed with discussions of the homework assigned over the holidays, and the unfairness of it.

Soon Harry was waving good bye to his friends as the train moved away from the station.

"_So what do you plan on doing now?" _Chami spun around once before sitting next to him.

"_I'm probably going to try and get all of my homework done, so I won't have to worry about it around Christmas." _Chami gave him a blank stare. "_What?"_

"_You have no parents to watch over you, no teacher looking over your shoulder during classes, and you're going to do homework? Have I taught you nothing? You still haven't seen half the places in the school that I've told you about! And that's beside the fact that we both know you could do the work in a coma!"_

"_Well, the faster I get it done, the more time I have to explore, right?" _Chami stared at him blankly before rolling her eyes and walking away, her tail swaying behind her.

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Harry was sitting in the library when Chami appeared in front of him, bouncing and ranting about coming to see what she found.

"_Harry you just must see! They are so rare; it's an intriguing sight, come on!" _

"_Why are you so excited? Will you stop if I come along?" _He started packing up his books, preparing to follow Chami wherever it is she wanted to take him.

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"_Isn't the third-floor off limits? Is it a good idea to be heading here in the middle of the day?" _Chami rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the hand, the shimmer that surrounded her flowing over his body with a slight tingling.

"_Don't be such a coward, where's your sense of adventure? I came up here looking for what may have bitten shadow man, and I found something I've only ever heard of before! You must see it, you may never have the chance to again!"_ They had reached the end of the corridor, and Chami waved her hand causing the lock on the door to click and the door itself to fly open.

Chami dragged him into the room to a sight that caused him to freeze up—a _very_ large three-headed dog lay in front of them, two heads sleeping, the third staring directly at them with the one eye it had cracked open. The third head caused Harry to realize that they were no longer shimmering, and he immediately moved behind Chami.

Harry startled as he got the vague image of Chami walking into the room alone, which then skipped to her leaving and some muffled words about returning soon.

"Aren't they beautiful? Someone here must have them guarding whatever is under that trap door, but as long as we aren't trying to get at that, I think we'll be ok, they seem to like me!" By this point all three heads were awake and standing, with goofy dog-like grins on their faces. Chami walked up to them and started patting the nose of the one on the left, and although she was rather tiny in comparison, it seemed he still enjoyed it.

Harry slowly made his way over to her, freezing as the three heads moved to sniff him, the middle one nudging him with its nose, causing him to fall over. He laughed and proceeded to pet the over-sized Cerberus for several minutes before Chami declared it time to leave.

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"_Now _how_ in the world did you find that thing?"_

"_Simple really, I was trying to discover where that injury on the dark man came from." _At some point in time Chami had stopped calling Snape "greasy" and started calling him "Dark", Harry didn't understand why, but he wasn't going to question her on it.

"_Anyway, I saw him hovering near that area, he was having an…intriguing conversation with garlic man and so I took a look, as they had mentioned the place in their conversation."_

"_You have an odd sense of logic. Now come on, its past curfew and I need to get back to my work; I only have one essay left."_

"_You just take all the fun out of everything; I thought you would enjoy Fluffy!" _Chami morphed into her human form, though Harry was sure it was only so she could cross her arms and huff.

"_I'm not saying I didn't enj…wait…that thing is named Fluffy? Who would name a three-headed giant dog Fluffy?"_

"_Why, Hagrid of course! At least, that's what Fluffy told me!" _Chami lost her irritated look and started skipping alongside him.

"_I swear, every since you come into my life things just keep getting more and more weird…"_

"_Harry!" _Chami stopped dead with a mock-serious look on her face _"You shouldn't swear!" _And with that she slipped into the common room ahead of him.

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Soon Christmas was fast approaching, only three days away, which had Harry again wandering the halls with some parchment, jotting down a rough map noting where certain secret passages were and such—he wasn't completely sure why he wanted a map of the school, but figured that it would somehow come in handy…

He was in the area just past the library, marking down some of the unused classrooms and their approximate size (not that size really mattered, most of the school's rooms where magically expanded). Coming to the last classroom in that particular hall, Harry was distracted by a large mirror in the middle of the room. For some reason Harry was drawn to it, but for now he just looked from afar.

Soon, he noticed some carvings along the top of the mirror, and got close enough to read them.

"Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi… What language is that? It's not French or Spanish, definitely not any of the Asian languages, and none of the words seem to be in Latin….So what?" Harry gazed at the mirror trying to figure out what it could possibly say, as he was sure it would prove if the mirror could be trusted of not.

"_Chami? Do you know any language that goes Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi?" _As Harry waited for a response he circled around to the back of the mirror, looking for more clues, but still keeping his distance.

"_It's English" _Was all Chami gave as a response.

"_What?"_ Harry furrowed his brown before looking at the words again, and he finally saw it _"Oh! I show not your face but your hearts desire, that's…not as interesting as I thought it would be…"_

"_Don't get to attached to what you see, if you start to waste away in front of that mirror I might just let you."_

"_I haven't even looked into it yet."_

"_Just be mindful." _Chami's tone was completely serious for once.

Moving around to the front again, Harry stood in front of the mirror, and was shocked to see what the mirror showed, he even did a double take behind himself to make sure it was just what the mirror was showing him. Looking back at the reflection, he stood in the center, with Chami sitting by his feet, which wasn't too weird, but behind him stood several people, most of them with their faces in shadow.

Directly behind him stood a man that had to be his father, and on his other side a woman with flame red hair and his eyes, who must me his mother. Next to Lily was a man, whose face was in shadow, wearing all black with shoulder-length black hair. His arms were crossed in front of him, but he gave off an air that he was kinder than his stance showed. On the other side next to his father were two men, both their faces in shadow, one with neatly kept light brown hair, the other with shoulder length black hair that fell in loose wavy curls. Behind these figures were three completely in shadow, drifting closer and further as if waiting for permission to come forward.

Harry glanced at his watch and was surprised to find that somehow three hours had passed, causing him to turn and ran back to the common room, barely making it in time for curfew. Christmas was in two days, and they had the Christmas feast, but maybe he could sneak away to the mirror tomorrow…

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The next morning, as soon as Harry woke, he traversed the hallways marked on his crude map, returning to the room with the mirror. It was still dark outside by the time he got there, but he didn't much care. **Harry sank down to sit on the floor in front of the mirror. There was nothing to stop him from staying here all night with his family, nothing at all.**

**Except…**

**"So…back again, Mr. Potter?"**

**Harry felt as though his insides had turned to ice. He looked behind him. Sitting on one of the desks by the wall was none other than Albus Dumbledore. Harry must have walked straight past him, so desperate to get to the mirror he hadn't noticed him.**

**"…I didn't see you, sir."**

**"Strange how nearsighted **some things** can make you," said Dumbledore, and Harry was relieved to see that he was smiling. **

**"So," said Dumbledore, slipping off the desk to sit on the floor with Harry, "you, like hundreds before you, have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."**

**"I didn't know it was called that, Sir."**

**"But I expect you've realized by now what it does?"**

**"It…well…it shows me my family…"**

"Can you think what the Mirror of Erised shows us all?"

"The inscription…it shows our heart's desire?

"Yes, the happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror that is; he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge nor truth. Men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible.

**"The Mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that. Now, if I'm not mistaken the elves have baked some delicious pastries for breakfast this morning, why not run off and get some. **

**Harry stood up.**

**"Sir - Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"**

**"Obviously, you've just done so," Dumbledore smiled. "You may ask me one more thing, however."**

**"What do you see when you look in the mirror?"**

**"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks."**

**Harry stared.**

**"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Last Christmas had come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."**

With that the headmaster gracefully left the room, while Harry shook his head, somehow he didn't believe what the headmaster had told him, but maybe he should send Chami to get one more gift…

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"_Harry…" _A soft voice floated through the dreamscape, bringing him just a tad closer to wakefulness.

"_Harry…" _Wait….this was….

"_Harry…" _Familiar….

"_HARRY!" _with the last one Harry woke with a fluffy ball of white jumping on him, the first thing to come into his vision a set of purple eyes.

"What!" He answered out loud, too annoyed to speak in his mind properly. Chami shifted to her human form, hopping off the bed and putting her hands on her hips.

"Don't 'What' me, it's Christmas! You have gifts! Now come…on!" and with that Chami ripped the blanket off his persons, exposing him to the frigid dungeon air.

"Hey!" Harry quickly rapped his arms around himself, going for his dressing gown to get a bit more warmth than what his thick pajamas offered. Chami was skipping to the door, but she turned back to glance at him.

"You know, it's much warmer in the common room, you should come down, the elves even brought coco!" And with that, she disappeared through the door, probably to munch on whatever else the elves had brought was. Heaving a sigh, Harry climbed out of bed, shivering at the cold floor and quickly tossing his socks from last night back on his feet, before heading to the common room to the sight of a over-sized tree (really, who needs a tree THAT big for one person?) with about a dozen presents under it.

"I though the gifts were supposed to appear at the foot of my bed…"

"Yes, well as you are the only little snake here this fine winter season, I convinced the elves that showed up this morning to put the tree to use, rather than your trunk. More festive if you ask me." Harry just rolled his eyes before tossing a silver wrapped package at Chami and grabbing a cup of coco. Chami caught the present with one hand before giving him a huge smile and tearing the wrapping off, only to find some Ferrero Rocher chocolates causing her to squeal happily.

"How'd you get these here, I've been to all the villages within ten miles, they all say they can't get muggle candy!"

"I have my ways…" apparently Chami didn't know about the muggle mailing system within Hogwarts.

"Well, go on! Open yours!" Chami was bouncing on her seat, waiting for Harry to dig into his presents. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Aren't you supposed to be the more mature one of the two of us?" He questioned as he stood and moved closer to the tree. As Harry tore open his first present, some chocolate frogs from Theo, he questioned Chami on the gifts he had asked her to get for several people.

"Did you get those socks for the Headmaster on time?"

"Yes, but I still don't see why you wanted to give him wool socks, it seems a bit strange to me." Chami picked up the book on Quidditch he had just opened from Blaise and started flipping through it.

"He found me by the mirror the other day, and I asked him what he saw—I really doubt him holding a pair of wool socks was what he saw, but I figured I would indulge his eccentricities a bit."

"Yes, well I hope he likes them—I just chose the most colorful and atrocious pairs in the store, so they should fit his taste. I also got the dark one some rare ingredients, so he may think they're from you."

"What? Why?" Harry hadn't asked her to get anything for the other professors…

"Because I can't well say they were from me! He'll think he has some kind of creepy stalker or something. They are a bit expensive, so I just wrote a note in your hand staying you grew them yourself, since I chose the ones that even you couldn't kill."

"Any other teachers I should expect odd looks from?" Harry reached held up a green sweater with a large H on the front, the note saying it was from the Weasley mother…odd…

"I sent them all something to do with their subjects, nothing too extraordinary, some special seeds for Sprout, a rare book for Flitwick, and a transfiguration stone for McGonagall, you know, simple stuff." Harry gave her a glare as he reached for his last present, how was he supposed to explain that stuff?

"Oh!" Chami exclaimed as he opened his last gift, some sort of material that fell to the floor almost like liquid. "Who gave you that? An actual invisibility cloak, I heard of those and always wanted to know if they were better than my charm…"

"I don't know who gave it..." Harry picked it up, spotting a small piece of parchment. "It just says 'Your father left this in my possession some years ago, and asked that I return it to you. Use it well.' Huh…weird…"

"Think of all the mischief you can get away with now!" Chami was bouncing in her seat, causing Harry to roll his eyes.

"You do realize that you do the same thing as the cloak?" He tossed it around his shoulders and examined himself, or the lack there of. "Somehow I think your charm is better because, well I don't know…yours masks sound and magic, not just the ability to see the person?"

"Be that as it may, just a muffling charm and it will be great! And you won't need me to glomp you the entire time your under it!" Harry couldn't help at smile at her, her excite being contagious.

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For those of you who don't know, a "glomp" is a type of running hug, known mostly at anime conventions where fans glomp those dressed as their favorite characters. I've used the term as a description for normal hugs, as have many of my friends. In this case Chami is saying "I'll have to have my arms around you the entire time I use my invisibility charm" and we all know she would be a bit annoying if she had to do that

Harry Potter SoS pg 141

There is a good portion of this story from the actual book, the part with the mirror and Albus, but I didn't put a marker there…I just bolded it…and I was a bit lazy to completely re-write the scene, but since it fit, I felt it was fine, though it does have several changes.


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